Air-cleaning attachment eor automobile carburetors



Oct. 2; 1923. 1,469,702

G. M. SPENCER AIR CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILE CARBURETORS, AIR COMPRESSORS,

AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS, ETC Filed March 17. 1921 Patented Oct. 2, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

GEORGE M. SPENCER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AIR-CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOB AUTOMOBILE CARBURETORS, AIR COMPRESSORS, AIR-BRAKE SYSTEMS, ETC.

Application filed March 17, 1921. Serial No. 453,193.

To all 10 710m it. may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. SPENCER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, inthe State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Cleaning Attachments for Automobile Carburetors, Air Compressors, Air-Brake Systems, Etc, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention consists in the novel disclosure hereinafter particularly described and distinctly claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved method of and means for effectually separating dust, dirt,. and other heavier-than-air particles from the air that is to be used in. automobile carburetors, aircompressors, air-brake systems, and in other situations where the air should be as free as possible of dust, grit, and the like, Without restrictingthe free flow of the air or gas, whether the same be under pressure, at atmospheric pressure, or in a partial vacuum.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved air-cleaning attachment, which can be applied to the carburetors of automobiles and combustion-englnes of all kinds, and to the intake-pipes or outletpipes of air-compressors, to the train-pipes of air-brake systems, as well as to other apparatus in which the air or gas should be as free as possibleof dust, grit, and other injurious particles that tend to wear out and destroy the efficiency of machinery.

A further object of my invention is to provide an air-cleaning attachment of the class described in the last preceding paragraph. which shall be very simple in con struction. operation and repair, highly efiicient notwithstanding its simplicity, and of low cost. both as regards its manufacture and attachment to the various lines of machinery upon which it may be used.

In the drawing, the figure is a side-elevation of an air-cleaning attachment, constructed in accordance with my invention, and which may be used in practicing my improved method of separating dust, grit, dirt, and other injurious particles from air or gas.

The numeral 1 designates a straight chamber, that is horizontal and cylindrical in the present illustration, and has a size sufficient to convey the air or gas without undue friction thereof with the internal walls of said chamber.

Said chamber 1 is what I term the primary momentum-chamber, because in it the air or gas passes in a straight line for a considerable distance, suflicient for it to have a high speed in a straight line; and in case the inlet-pipe 3 is straight for a considerable distance, the said chamber need be but about the length and proportions here shown.

The inlet-end of said momentum-chamber 1 is constructed with an internally-threaded portion 2, or is otherwise provided with a suitable connection by means of which the inlet-pipe 3 may be connected to any well known automobile carburetor, or to the carburetor of any internal-combustion engine, or to the intake or discharge pipe of any common air-compressor, or to the train-pipe 'of an air-brake system.

The air or gas enters said momentumchamber 1 through said inlet-pipe 3, and passes therein in the direction indicated by the arrows, at a high or low speed, depending upon the pressure at which it is being driven; and the sand, grit, dirt, dust orother deleterious particles which are heavier than the air or gas will (by their momentum) pass over and beyond the perpendicular outlet, air passage (or mainroute passage) 1, and will come into forcible contact with the curved walls of a deflecting-chamber 7, into which the inner end of said first momentum chamber opens; and the curved walls of said chamber 7 will cause the dirt, sand, and other heavier deleterious particles to be deposited in a dirt receptacle 8 at the lower end of said deflecting-chamlier, whence said refuse may be easily removed from time to time, by detaching the plug (or other common closing device) 11 from the cleaning opening 10 in the bottom horizontal wall of said receptacle.

Adhesive material, such as greased waste 9, may be placed in said receptacle 8, so that the separated dust, sand, and other things will be prevented from rebounding, or returning, to the deflecting-chamber 7.

The air or gas, from which the heavier particles of sand, dust, and the like have been thus separated, passes through said perpendiciilar passage or chamber at into a perpendicular pipe or extension 6, which has its upper end threaded or otherwise connectcd to the lower end of said chamber 1.

A. com 'iaratively long horizontal momen tum-chamber 19 connected at one end with a iierpcndicular momentum and gravity chamber 12, the upper end of which .is pro; vided with an internallythreaded or other common connection 14:, by 'means of which dicular momentum and gravity chamber 12,

so that the combined forces oitmomentum and gravity will (l1i.V forward the tine dirt, dust, and other particles wh1ch escaped the firstdirt-receptacle. 8, and they will: beds posited in the second receptacle 15,]and from which said refuse may be removed as, required, by detaching the.cleaning-plug18 from the cleaning aperture 17 in said rec ptacle 15. y p

Adhesive material 16 such as common greasy waste or rags, may be placed in said receptacle 15, to prevent rebounding therehereof the separated dust or other material. A terminal deflecting-chamber 22, having doWnwardly-curved walls, is formed upon or attached to the delivery-end of the said long horizontal momentunrchamber 19, so that as the air or gas passes tl'i'rough the latter the remaining line sand, dirt, and other particles will (by their momentum) pass the airor gas delivery-opening or connection 20 of said horizontal chamber 19 and engage the curved wallsotthe said deflect-- V in g' 'chaml'ier 22,. and be thereby thrown into a final or terminal dirt-receptacle 23:, which isforrh'ed upon or attached to the lower end of the said'terrninal. defiecti'nsgrchamber, and from. which dirt-receptacle the refuse material may be easily removed, by detaching the plug-- 26 from the cleaning-out opening 25 of said dirt-receptacle.

I ridhesive' material, such as greasy waste or rag's, may (insonie cases) be located in said dirt-receptacle 23', to hold the sand, dust, and other liner particles in said recc'ptacle', and prevent their being drawn upwardly and returned to theair or gas.

Said del'ivery-connection 20' of the said horizontal momentum-chamber 19 may be attached to the air-intakeof carburetor,

or to the intake-manifold of any internalcombustion engine, or to the intake or discl'iarge of an air 'compressor, or to the trainpipe or triple-valve of anair' bralre system, by a' common pipe 21 threaded into or otherwise connected to said delivery-eonncction.

The operation.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the above description.

However, it may be best to call attention to the tact that my invention provides a free and unobstructed passage for the air and gas throughout its passage through the cleaner. V

Nor does the air remix or mingle with the separated particles of dust, dirt, &e., which are at rest inthe said dirtreceptacles 8, 15 and 553, and cannot rebound theretroin.

The said curved walls of the said deflecting-chambers 7 and 22 impart a centrifugal torce tothe separated particles, and this assists in separating them from the air current and causing them to be depositedin said dirt-receptacles. v

No matter how slight the velocity of the particles of dirt, and dust, or the like, in the said horizontal momentum-chamber 19, they. will be carried into thesaid dirt-receptacle' 23, and, nothing: but perfectly cleaned and. clear: air or gas, will be de-' livered through the said delivery or outlet connection 20, and conveyed to the operat ing machinery or appliances.

1' GSP'OClSJlly call attention to the tact that myapparatus is made up of a series of straight inomentum-chambeis, each of which terminates in a dirt-receptacle, and that the air and gas to be cleaned is passed consecutively through each momentumchamber.

'll'e primary, or initial, momentum-chain bet 1 may be used separately in some cascs} where there is a constant (or almost constant) high velocityot volume of the air or gas under pressure, or under more or le. vacuum.

in using the primary. mome r'itumrchamber 1 'alone, the perpendicular outlet 4 thereof would, of course, be connected directly 'to' the intal're of the carburetor, air-compressor, or otherdevice; or it could be attached to the discharge-pipe of an air-compressor, or to tile t ain-pipe or tri ile-valve of an airbrulie system; and all of the remaining parts of, my apparatus: could be omitted in such cases, as the said u'i'i'nary nion'icntuni chamber 1 and its dirta'eci-iptacle 8 will perfectly remove all pal Hles o'l dust from the air or gas, and will prevent the dirt, &c., from rebounding, and again entering the current of air or gas.

But, in all cases where the air or gas current is of low velocity, the primary momentum-chamber l may be omitted, and the remaining parts will perfectly eleanthe air or gas, the said perpendicular parts (3,

and 12, the dirt-receptacle 15, and the long horizontal momentum-chamber 19, with its final dirt-receptacle 23, will by combining gravity, momentum, and centrifugal force, produce an excellent result in this regard.

However, to meet all conditions, in actual practice, the entire combination of all the various parts of my apparatus should be used, and the air or gas will be perfectly cleaned, no matter what the velocity, pressure, or vacuum of the air or gas may be.

I do not limit myself to'the exact size or proportions of the parts of my apparatus shown in the present drawings; nor do 1 limit myself to the identical details of parts thereof, as it is apparent that any skilled workman can change said parts and proportions without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim 1. An air cleaning attachment for carburetors, air compressors, air brake systems, and the like; comprising a straight horizontally disposed momentum chamber to convey air without undue friction thereof with the internal walls of said chamber; an outlet directed downwardly from said momentum chamber, intermediate its ends, said. momentum chamber terminating in a down wardly curved deflecting ehaber for massing the heavier particles of dirt and dust against the outer wall thereof, said deflect-- ing' chamber terminating in a receptacle of greater diameter than the diameter of said deflecting chamber into which the sepa 'ated dirt and dust is carried and deposited by its momentum past the saidoutlet and a removable closure plug for the bottom wall of the enlarged receptacle.

2. An air cleaning attachment for carburetors, air compressors, air brake systems,

and the like; comprising a straight primary momentum chamber to convey air without undue friction thereof with the internal walls of said chamber; a downwardly d rected air outlet for said chamber; said straight primary momentum chamber terminating at one end in a downwardly curved deflecting chamber of the same diameter as said straight primary momentum chamber for massing the dirt and dust against the outer wall thereof in its passage therethrough; a receptacle of greater diameter than said deflectino chamber fori'uing a ter mioation of said deflecting; chamber into which the heavier particles of dirt and dust are carried and deposited by their momentum past said outlet; and a series of additional separating chambers with diameters the same as said primary momentum chamher having communication with said outlet and terminating in additional receptacles of greater diameter than said additional separating chambers and for further cleaning the air which is discharged from the outleof said primary momentum cliamberinto retors,-air compres l)? systenjis, and the like; comprising a primary Stftljllli horizontally disposed parallel walled momentum chamber terminating at one end a downwardy curved deflecting ehamoer; enlarged dirt rece cle 'liormed the terminal end of said deflecting chamber, a removable closure plug for the bottom well of said enlarged dirt recs-parole, a perpendicular chamber into which the partially cleaned air is discharged downwardly from said primary moi'nentum chamber iutern'icdiate its ends; an enlarged dirt receptacle formed at the terminal end of said perpeudicular chamlier; a laterally directed discharge connection for said 'ierpeniicular chamber arranger shove the cola-raid flirt receptacle thereof, and removaltile closure plugfor the bottom wall of said last moutioned enlarged dirt reeepli cle.

t. An air and cleaning attachment for the purposes described; comprising; se ries of straiejht horizontal parallel wal d momentum chambers which terminate in dc fleeting); cliaiubcrs having); curved walls; an enlarged dirt r eptacle forming the closed end of each of ruleflccti gi; chambers; inlets and outlets for 'd series connector l momentum chambers; and pmrpendicula chamber for connecting; the outlet of an ad jacent momentum chamber with the inlet of another one of said momentum chambers.

5. An air and gas cleaning attachment the purposes described; comgiirisin a ser of suitably spaced straight ska-ms posed momentum chambers: chambers at the terminal end 0" momentum chaml ,rs; ccptacle at terminal def ecting chambers; a perucnd cul her connecting the d and upper horizon momentum char with the inlet end oi lower horizontal momentum chamber; clean out closures for each o said enlaroied uirtreccutac may be opened and cleaned out: mcnt parts for the primary are z'ionta mon' ontim'i chan'ibors.

n v I of illv 6. An elastic iluid clcaui a'icachiuent of the class desIi-ribed; com; sing: a straight horizon til un'uuentiun clin convey an stic fluid witl'iout uu werdi'y directed outlet; en enlerged dirt receptzicle forming the lower end of said per peiidi cuier chamber; a second straight horizontal momentum chamber having communication with the perpendicular chamber at e point mean its lower end; said second horisoxital momentum chamber terminating in e dowmviirdly curved deflecting chamber; an enlarged dirt eceptacle forming the terminal end oi said deflecting chamber; said second straight horizontal momentum chamber he'vin an upvmrdly directed outlet; and in aforesaid dirt receptacles, whereby the re 'eptacles may be opened and the accumulated foreign particles separated from the elastic fluid removed. I

- Intestimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' EORGE M, SPENCER.

Witnesses: r r

PAUL 1i. MAsoN, HENRY L. HIGDQN. 

